Car died on me at a stop light, wierd.

[VNG704]

Updated at bottom...problem solved.
1997 240sx LE with S13 chuki blacktop SR20

So I was at a stop light engaging the clutch and shifter in 1st when the light turned green and the car died. At first I thought I may have stalled the car but it wouldn't even crank up. I thought battery so I closed my windows and nothing. They don't work BUT the radio comes on, the lights work, power door locks work. Oh and it's a nearly new battery. Had car towed home. Checked battery connections, they're good. Checked any and all fuses that have anything to do with ignition, battery, starter, egi, fuel pump, p/window, etc... and they're all fine.:wtf: When the key is in "ON" position, there is no fuel pump whine-up. I almost think it's the alarm disabling the fuel pump or something. I enable and disable the alarm, still nothing. Maybe the stock alarm(?) which I don't have the alarm fob for. But isn't that impossible since all this happen while the car was on and running? Could be the fuel pump died on me but that wouldn't explain the windows not working. Would like to figure what the deal is but at the moment I'm worried about the window being open. Disconnected the battery for some time and reconnected to reset things but car still won't crank and windows don't work. Shooting in the dark here. Any help is appreciated. T.I.A.

[5t341tH]

what does it do when u try to crank. does starter engage at all? or do u hear TATATAT

[VNG704]

what does it do when u try to crank. does starter engage at all? or do u hear TATATAT
Starter does not engage and I don't hear that noise. Only thing that happens is the radio, gauges, etc... turn on.


Just finished taping up the window. Winter is around the corner. Supposedly there will be some snow next week. This is going to suck because it's the driver window and I'm probably going to come in and out of this door to work on the car.

[VNG704]

ttt...*help*


Trying to get trouble codes read soon. My E5 ecu doesn't have the blinking lights to do so (WTF?). Got to look for my 63 ecu I had awhile back to read codes.

[VNG704]

burr.... cold out. Yesterday, I forced myself out to work on the car. I found my 63 ecu. Made sure batter neg disconnected and installed it. reconnect battery, key to "ON", turn the code thing on the ecu, and no blinking LED, LED doesn't even come on. wtf? So now I'm starting to wonder if the problem is that the ecu isn't getting power. That would explain the fuel pump not whining up. Is the starter controlled by the ecu? Because I know even if the fuel pump does not supply fuel, it will still try to crank, which it is not doing now. I did check the wiring on the starter and it is secured tight on the starter. The window problem, I'm just going to assume is a whole other problem. Gotta search the problem, point me in the right direction guys.

[ForcedNduction]

burr.... cold out. Yesterday, I forced myself out to work on the car. I found my 63 ecu. Made sure batter neg disconnected and installed it. reconnect battery, key to "ON", turn the code thing on the ecu, and no blinking LED, LED doesn't even come on. wtf? So now I'm starting to wonder if the problem is that the ecu isn't getting power. That would explain the fuel pump not whining up. Is the starter controlled by the ecu? Because I know even if the fuel pump does not supply fuel, it will still try to crank, which it is not doing now. I did check the wiring on the starter and it is secured tight on the starter. The window problem, I'm just going to assume is a whole other problem. Gotta search the problem, point me in the right direction guys.

Your ECU and starter are not linked. A starter will crank over without a ECU installed in the vehicle.

Check your battery terminals paying close attention to the positive connections. If you have the plug similar to the red one in the picture check for corrosion. Your problem may lie here since your radio works and other things dont.
http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/zz196/forcednduction/Terminal.jpg

[VNG704]

Your ECU and starter are not linked. A starter will crank over without a ECU installed in the vehicle.

Check your battery terminals paying close attention to the positive connections. If you have the plug similar to the red one in the picture check for corrosion. Your problem may lie here since your radio works and other things dont.
http://i827.photobucket.com/albums/zz196/forcednduction/Terminal.jpg
Just checked it. I do have that stock battery terminal but mine is pretty clean and tight. Oh and everything works, as far as I can tell, except the windows. Headlights, hazards, gauges, clock in the cluster, radio, speakers, all work.

just throwing it out there, would these be symptoms of a bad ignitor?

[ForcedNduction]

just throwing it out there, would these be symptoms of a bad ignitor?

No, a bad ignitor wouldnt explain your starter and window problem. If it was a bad ignitor your ecu should still turn on and the starter would work.

Here are a few thing you can check...

1. Dash connector on the main engine harness (this would explain no ecu power and the starter not engaging)
2. You can jumper the clutch interlock relay and the theft warning relay #2 and try to see if the starter engages (this will rule out clutch and anti-theft systems)
3. Make sure all of the grounds on the engine harness are securely grounded.
4. Then move onto checking the lower harness for shorts.
5. Ignition switch. (all of your problems tie into the ignition switch for power)

Let us know how things turn out

[ddf2006]

i had a similar problem when i first bought my 240. i was at a light wen the car just shut off on me. so i had to push my car into a parking lot (with help) and found out my water pump was leaking and my fan was blowing all the water all over the motor and grounded out. completely killed my batttery but my radio did still work. and i couldnt jump my car either.
in my opinion, see if ur 240 still has the water guards underneithe (spelled wrong) your car, cuz my guess is water could be grounding out ur motor.
correct me if im wrong please:2f2f:

[VNG704]

Sorry to bring up a 3month old thread but I couldn't work on the car in the winter and our temps stay cold until recent.

No, a bad ignitor wouldnt explain your starter and window problem. If it was a bad ignitor your ecu should still turn on and the starter would work.

Here are a few thing you can check...

1. Dash connector on the main engine harness (this would explain no ecu power and the starter not engaging)
2. You can jumper the clutch interlock relay and the theft warning relay #2 and try to see if the starter engages (this will rule out clutch and anti-theft systems)
3. Make sure all of the grounds on the engine harness are securely grounded.
4. Then move onto checking the lower harness for shorts.
5. Ignition switch. (all of your problems tie into the ignition switch for power)

Let us know how things turn outedit:
1.haven't tried yet
2.jumped the clutch int. relay and the car cranked... but did not start. I do not hear the fuel pump prime nor does the fuel pressure gauge show any press.
3.checked the known grounds, passenger side kick by ecu, driver side kick by fuse box, battery ground, and engine bay by fuse box. All good. there are two grounds off the wire harness that ground to the intake mani...they seem to be good although I haven't dug into the harness itself.
4.rechecking right now.

i had a similar problem when i first bought my 240. i was at a light wen the car just shut off on me. so i had to push my car into a parking lot (with help) and found out my water pump was leaking and my fan was blowing all the water all over the motor and grounded out. completely killed my batttery but my radio did still work. and i couldnt jump my car either.
in my opinion, see if ur 240 still has the water guards underneithe (spelled wrong) your car, cuz my guess is water could be grounding out ur motor.
correct me if im wrong please:2f2f:
The car does not have an underpanel. My battery(relocated in the trunk) is good. I also have a 125 amp fuse on the power wire between the battery and the car so wouldn't that blow before anything? Or is 125 amp too much? Was what the guy at an audio shop recommended.

I'm pretty much done for the day with messing with the car. But what am I looking at? Grounded short somewhere? or the other type of short where a power wire lost some insulator and touched another wire(power short?)?. I want to add that I have three grounds I made with some extra 4 or 6 (forgot) gauge wire I had. trans to chasis, block to chasis and head to chasis. I don't think they'd hurt anything but I'm no electrician. Any info would help. T.I.A.

[ADiamond240sx]

I had the exact same symptoms and problems you are describing. In the harness toward the rear of the motor were three ground wires for sensors that went into a butt connector and then into a single ground which then grounded above the exhaust manifold. The butt connector had broken in half inside the wiring harness. I'd suggest checking all your grounds that go to the sensors.

[jr_ss]

It doesn't sound like you have bad relays, it sounds like a power distribution problem. Check the power cable that comes into the fuse box in the engine bay. I believe it comes from your alternator. You have a lose connection somewhere.

[VNG704]

It doesn't sound like you have bad relays, it sounds like a power distribution problem. Check the power cable that comes into the fuse box in the engine bay. I believe it comes from your alternator. You have a lose connection somewhere.
You're right, my relays aren't bad. I had to do a quick research on how to test a relay and an ohm reading of 0(or roughly 0) = continuity. I had it backwards. Tested relays incorrectly:s101:-doh... editing previous^^ post. Checking power wire also.. thanks.

I had the exact same symptoms and problems you are describing. In the harness toward the rear of the motor were three ground wires for sensors that went into a butt connector and then into a single ground which then grounded above the exhaust manifold. The butt connector had broken in half inside the wiring harness. I'd suggest checking all your grounds that go to the sensors.damn I don't have that ground above the exh mani. I do see it in the s14 sr20 FSM though. I think it's different in the S13 SR but I will look for this ground also. Thanks.

[Schassis707]

Just randomly putting this out there as my car did this too, have u checked the ignition fuse? That's all my problem was lol the stupidest easy things are always the solution in most cases

[negrosx13]

^^^^^ nail on the head...im sure of it

[Schassis707]

Lol hey, u never know, that was the last thing that crossed my mind lol when it happenned

[negrosx13]

same here,i ripped out my whole dash

[Schassis707]

Negrosx13, u ripped the whole dash out and it was just a blown fuse?

[Om1kron]

i didn't read the whole thread but it sounds like a dead fuel pump to me.

[renegade_ewok]

Ignition fuse.

Hazards work, windows work, radio works, but wont crank or anything?

Yeah, had the same problem multiple times with my car. I fried like 3 of them and then said fuck it and got the car rewired. Symptoms sound like mine, but who knows...

[Schassis707]

I no it's off topic but, Renegade ewok, how much was it to get the car rewired?

[renegade_ewok]

I paid 300 to get my S14 rewired for my S14 SR with an S13 SR ECU.

Weird setup, I know... It was cheaper at the time.

[CleanAndLegit]

im having a similar problem idk wtf it is all i hear is my battery trying to get juice to turn on my car but wont not enough juice tested alternator and battery is fresh like i bought it yesterday! but it died after 3 turn ons of the car, i checked my power and ground(battery is in trunk as well) and still nothing i messed with the ground and it turned on but after that no luck, i know im not helping im just loooking for answers.

edit: also i dont hear my fuel pump prime (walboro, and i have a ka24e.... )

[VNG704]

The answer:

The problem was a short or burned wiring at a 12v 30A Bosch relay that was used in a kill switch. It was placed right after the ignition switch...installed by previous owner. The relay itself seemed to be okay but the wiring/connectors were burned. Not sure how or what caused the wires to burn like that. I just took out all the wiring, relay, and switch. It started right up. I do plan to have a switch put in one day but I'll do it myself after researching a more proper way. Thanks to everyone who helped, especially ForcedNduction.